Atlas Roofing Corporation announced Tracy Cook has joined the company as its new Director of Marketing, overseeing the Shingles & Underlayments and Roof & Wall Insulation Divisions. Cook also will guide Atlas’ overall corporate marketing strategy across the company’s Shingles & Underlayments, Roof & Wall Insulation, Molded Products and Web Technologies divisions. As the first director of marketing to manage multiple divisions under the Atlas brand, she will provide strategic guidance and insight on all marketing efforts, ensuring brand consistency, developing new marketing opportunities and expanding strategic partnerships, including those with 3M Scotchguard and television host Mike Holmes.

“We are thrilled to welcome Tracy to the marketing leadership team,” said Steve Heaton, Vice President, Roof & Wall Insulation Division. “We are taking significant strides in our marketing efforts, ensuring the right people and resources are in place to enhance our strengths and further confirm Atlas’ leadership position in the building materials industry.”

Cook joins Atlas with more than 20 years of experience and deep expertise in marketing strategy, customer insights, trend forecasting, brand strategy and management. Prior to joining Atlas, Cook worked for nine years at INVISTA, most recently serving as the Senior Director, Shopper Innovation, as well as previous senior marketing positions with Mohawk Industries and Interface. She graduated with a B.A. in liberal arts from Auburn University and resides in metro Atlanta.

In addition to Cook’s appointment as Director of Marketing, Atlas officially announced Stanley Bastek’s promotion to National Sales Director for the Shingles & Underlayments Division. Bastek started his career at Atlas in 2007 and has held several cross-functional sales and marketing positions over the past 10 years. In his new role, Bastek will manage national pricing and sales development, contractor engagement programs and distributor relationships.

“This is a very exciting time for Atlas,” said Kirk Villar, Vice President, Sales and Marketing. “These strategic investments to our sales and marketing departments ensure our continued growth and success, allowing us to deliver innovative products to our customers.”

These new appointments are part of Atlas’ continued expansion of its corporate sales and marketing footprint in Atlanta. In addition to the sales and marketing teams, the Atlanta headquarters houses several fundamental departments, including the leadership team for the Shingles & Underlayments, Roof & Wall Insulation, and Tapered Services divisions; pricing, accounting and finance; and human resources. Atlas’ marketing teams recently won multiple industry awards, including the notable Hanley Wood Brand Builder Awards for best product marketing launch and the best B2B marketing event.

Roofs in the Milwaukee School District are inspected annually and undergo a five-year cyclic maintenance program. Photos: Atlas Roofing Corporation

When Dennis Fula took over the roofing shop for the Milwaukee Public School District more than 20 years ago, many of the school’s roofs were failing, and some buildings were in danger of being condemned. He reached out to a manufacturer to help him institute a program to inspect and prioritize roof repairs and replacements — and set up specifications to ensure the roofs he installed would last longer and need fewer repairs.

Today, Dennis Fula’s son, Ryan Fula, is now in charge of the roofing shop at Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), and he’s realizing the benefits of the program his father helped set up more than two decades ago.

The Milwaukee Public Schools facilities management team includes (from left) John Linn, MPS Manager of Design and Construction; Dennis Fula, the previous crew leader of the MPS roofing shop; and Ryan Fula, the current crew leader. Photos: Atlas Roofing Corporation

According to Ryan Fula, his father teamed up with Dan Dalle Nogare, an independent representative of Atlas Roofing Corporation, to address the school district’s roofing issues some 23 years ago. The pair convinced the school system to adopt a comprehensive program to evaluate and maintain the district’s roofs. A key part of the plan was the implementation of theAtlas Roofing Corporation Certified Drainage Program (CDP), a low-slope tapered insulation design service that focuses on eliminating ponding water on a roof’s surface to extend the service life of the system.

“Atlas Roofing came in and did a presentation on how they can save money in the long run working with Milwaukee Public Schools by offering the Certified Drainage Program,” Ryan Fula recalls. “So, we decided to take a shot at it and see how it might work out.”

When it is time for a roof replacement, the specifications call for using tapered insulation designed by the team at Atlas Roofing’s Certified Drainage Program to ensure proper drainage. Photos: Atlas Roofing Corporation

According to Fula, the results over the last two decades have been impressive. “It’s been working out great ever since,” he says. “It helps us with the budget, it’s paying off now, and it will continue to pay off into the future.”

The program has been embraced by the school district, the roof system manufacturer, and the contractors who work on the projects. Ryan Fula and others currently involved with the program — most of whom represent the second generation of employees at their companies working under the arrangement — shared their insights on how the program works and why it’s effective. All of them cited it as a role model for other school districts across the country to follow.

The School District

According to Ryan Fula, Milwaukee Public Schools encompasses more than 160 buildings with approximately 9 million square feet of roofing. The first priority of Fula and his roofing team is to fix and repair leaks, but their overall strategy involves taking a long-term approach to managing roof assets. The MPS roofing crew conducts annual inspections of each roof, and crew members clean up debris and check for problems. Every summer, the team conducts a five-year cyclic review, which includes routine maintenance, repairs, cleaning roofs and sometimes applying an aluminum roof coating. After 25 years of service, each roof is fully evaluated.

“We’re all about planning for the future and preventative maintenance,” Fula says. Most of the roofs in the school district are BUR or modified bitumen systems. “We like to keep our roofs smooth,” Fula notes. “As a rule, we don’t like gravel or ballast. The reason why is we only have four employees, and with the amount of square footage we have we don’t have time to spud or remove ballast.”

The roof on the 88thSt. School was replaced with a modified bitumen system utilizing plan tapered insulation with a four-way slope. Photos: Atlas Roofing Corporation

Each year, Fula goes over his list and determines which roofs need to be repaired or replaced. When a building needs a full roof replacement, the process works like this: The Atlas representative visits the project, meets with Fula, and takes field measurements. The CDP team puts together a budget and preliminary plan, and the project is sent out for bid. Once the job is awarded, the contractor chosen removes the existing roof system and installs a temporary roof to keep the building watertight. The rep then conducts a detailed auto-level survey that maps out the entire deck, recording any deck deflection and high and low areas. Then the team at CDP comes up with a tapered insulation plan to ensure proper drainage.

Fula is involved at every stage of the process and serves as the construction liaison to the administrators and teachers at the school. “I work directly with the schools and the construction contractor from start to finish as the roofing work takes place,” Fula says. “I’ll be the inspector on the job. I’m there on a daily basis. Our biggest priority is to make sure that we don’t disrupt the school.”

The Rep

One of the first people Fula contacts when it’s time for a roof replacement is Brett Kaehler, his Atlas representative. Kaehler works at Adroit Marketing Inc., headquartered in Slinger, Wisconsin, which has represented Atlas since 1988. Working alongside Dan Dalle Nogare, who helped launch the program, Kaehler has worked on more than 20 projects with MPS.

Consultation typically begins in the budgeting stage. “If a roof needs a full replacement, they would already have plans for that roof, so we would go out and field measure the roof to verify the overall measurements, noting any penetrations or drains,” Kaehler says. “We field verify everything and send that report down to our tapered team in Atlanta.”

Six contractors are approved to bid on MPS projects, and they receive the preliminary roof plans and scope of work to help them prepare their bids. Once the job is awarded, the tear-off process begins. After the tear-off is complete and a temporary roof is installed, Kaehler meets with Fula to conduct the auto-level survey of the roof. “We grid out the roof in either 12-foot or 8-foot sections,” Kaehler explains. “We shoot heights in each individual quadrant. If there are areas of concern with low spots, we might even tighten it up to a 6-foot or 4-foot grid. We take pictures and include those with the heights in our report to CDP.”

The reports are turned around very quickly, notes Kaehler; the final plans are usually received within two days. The tapered insulation plan is logical and easy to follow, even for a new contractor, according to Kaehler. “It’s like a puzzle,” he says. “We give you the layout and tell you where to place each puzzle piece. It’s pretty cut and dried. There is minimal waste. We try to keep it as simple as possible.”

Every member of the team has the same end goal in mind. “At the end of the day, we want a perfectly pitched roof for Milwaukee Public Schools for their longevity,” Kaehler says. “We want the contractor’s name to be well represented. We want Atlas Roofing’s name to be well represented. It’s a complex process, but we have it so fine-tuned it doesn’t seem so complex. We all know it and understand it very well. There are a lot of moving parts, but it moves very smoothly. It’s a well-oiled machine.”

Kaehler commends Milwaukee Public Schools for their proactive approach. “They do a great job with preventative maintenance,” he says. “Sometimes with an owner, a roof will be out of sight, out of mind — they won’t look at it until it is leaking. Milwaukee Public Schools doesn’t look at it that way. If something does come up, they nip it in the bud before it becomes a problem.”

Kaehler monitors the project through completion and conducts a final inspection. “I’m on the site regularly,” he says. “We do a roof inspection to make sure everything is draining properly, preferably after a good rain to ensure there is no ponding water.”

The Tapered Design Team

Shaun Kerschen is the director of Private Label and Tapered Services for Atlas Roofing, based in Atlanta, Georgia. He joined the company in 2002 and began designing tapered polyiso insulation systems for commercial projects in 2003. Some of his first projects were for the Certified Drainage Programon MPS buildings. He’s since been promoted to oversee the tapered insulation design team, which has four full-time designers, including Jennifer Tyree, who has handled MPS projects since 2008. “We review the plan sets and work up quotes for tapered insulation systems,” Kerschen notes. “After the project is sent out for bid and the job is awarded, we work up shop drawings and installation plans. The material is delivered to the jobsite and installed by the contractor.”

Measuring the actual roof deck is critical, notes Kerschen, as there can be surprises that emerge as the tear-off is executed, especially on older buildings. “Over the last 16 years I’ve seen some pretty crazy things,” he says. “On one section of roof that had been involved in several additions over the years, we found five different deck heights. We had to fill in several sections with insulation before we could even begin to install the taper.”

The tapered insulation plan has some typical design requirements. “As part of the certification process, we agree to provide a tapered insulation system to provide positive drainage and void substantial ponding water within 24 hours,” says Kerschen. “The system has to be designed with four-way slope. We do not allow two-way slope with saddles or crickets, except in very unusual circumstances. The minimum requirement is a 3/16 inch per foot slope; that allows us to correct a lot of issues. In some cases, we will require 1/4 inch per foot slope.”

Once the tear-off is executed, the final plan must be completed very quickly, according to Tyree, but the detailed reports and advance planning help speed the process. “The reps are my eyes in the field,” Tyree says. “They’ll identify the drains and anything that might be an issue. They’ll point out anything I need to know, such as height issues on windows, for example. Then I work up the plan. The biggest thing is to take meticulous notes, keep everything organized, and turn it around very quickly when the time comes.”

Everyone on the team knows their part in the process, notes Tyree. “The goal is putting on a good roof that lasts, with quality workmanship from certified contractors,” she says. “Our reps are out there, hands-on, from the very beginning. They check how the roof performs after a rain. We provide more peace of mind for the owner.”

The Contractor

The program also makes life easier for the installing contractor, notes Doug Biggar, project manager for Langer Roofing & Sheet Metal Inc., a union-affiliated commercial roofing contractor headquartered in Milwaukee.Langer Roofing is one of the companies approved to work on MPS projects. Biggar took over as the point man on MPS projects after the retirement of Dave Novak a few years ago, and he is another admirer of the smooth-running system his predecessors put in place.

“The biggest benefit of the Certified Drainage Program is that it provides a higher-quality product in the end,” Biggar says. “It’s a great team, and it also makes it easier when you are working with a more involved owner. If we are working over an occupied building, I don’t have to sit down and explain everything to the principal; that’s all handled by the MPS people. We have one point of contact, and it’s Ryan. Every day our foreman connects with Ryan at the beginning of the day and they go over the plan. Ryan lets the principals and the teachers know what’s going on. It makes our lives so much easier.”

The plans from CDP ensure the quality and longevity of the system, and the communication of every member of the team saves the contractor time and minimizes confusion. “Ultimately, it’s a higher-quality product, and the process streamlines things,” Biggar explains. “When the roof is put on, we don’t have punch-list items, and we don’t have ponding water.”

Biggar credits his company’s experience and union training as the keys to quality workmanship. “It’s a great team from top to bottom,” he says. “We’re a union shop, so we are all well trained. I have the ability to sell any type of system, any type of service work. We’re certified with every major manufacturer out there. It all boils down to the ability of our guys in the field and our equipment. We have a full-time safety director. There are a lot of years of experience in our project management team. We do things right around here.”

Investment Pays Off

According to Fula, the investment in the roof asset management program is paying big dividends. The team effort helps ensure the roofs meet their maximum life cycle while minimizing emergency repairs. Fula’s advice for other school districts is to determine the full life-cycle cost of a roof system — not just the initial cost.

“We are making the investment up front,” he says. “When these roofs are coming around to be replaced, we are completely ripping them off down to the deck. We’re installing a vapor barrier. Atlas will come in with the Certified Drainage Program, and they will guarantee that the water will be off our roof in 24 hours. So now we are energy efficient, we are up to code, but we also have the guarantee that the water is gone. If we do have a leak, we won’t have standing water there to cause further damage to the system.”

“Ponding water is the number one cause of problems for low-slope roofs,” notes Fula, “so making sure the roofs have proper drainage is critical.” He has seen the proof with his own eyes.

“Now, with the Certified Drainage Program in place, we are really able to see how the roofs are doing and how our investment is paying off there,” Fula says. “The roofs we designed and installed are lasting longer. In the past, just about every 25-year-old roof was put into our deferred maintenance program to be repaired or replaced. Now I’m looking at 20-year-old roofs, and they look brand new.”

Atlas Roofing Corporation, in partnership with the Veterans Community Project (VCP), will begin Phase Two construction for the Veterans Housing Village in Kansas City, Missouri. The Veterans Community Project’s housing village is a specialized community of 50 tiny homes that provide transitional housing and address the underlying cause of veteran homelessness.

Phase Two of the project officially begins with the Atlas Build Day on August 8. Atlas employees, contracting partners and VCP leaders will be on the site to begin the construction of more than 13 tiny homes, which will be added to the existing neighborhood of finished homes, a community center and resource facility of full-time staff of case managers to assist the veterans. The addition of Phase Two will make more room for homeless veterans, where they can seek rehabilitation, job assistance services, and support from their peers in a safe environment.

“Our partnership with Atlas Roofing has been instrumental in the successful completion of our first veteran village development,” said Brandonn Mixon, co-founder and Chief Project Officer at Veterans Community Project. “Thanks to the high-performance value that the Atlas products offer, I am confident that our residents will stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer while we keep our energy costs low.”

Atlas is collaborating with key partners and volunteers to provide specialized services and on-site contractor support. Partners, including ABC Supply Company and JR Roofing, will be donating time and/or services for the construction. The Build Day event will focus on the installation of Atlas EnergyShield, a foil faced polyiso continuous insulation for residential and commercial exterior walls. Meeting all building standards, the EnergyShield product allows for short term savings and long-term energy efficiencies.

Phase Two of the Veterans Village will consist of 13 tiny homes that will house homeless veterans and assist in their mission to end veteran homelessness. VCP has set a goal to complete Phase Two by Veterans Day 2018 and will rely on the support of the community, donors and volunteers to make this goal a reality. The VCP will work with volunteers on a majority of the hands-on building process so the whole community can get involved. Trade partners will complete mechanical, electrical and plumbing work as needed. During the build process, VCP will also be planning and coordinating Phase Three and Four to complete all 49 homes and the community center in a timely fashion.

Atlas Roofing is hosting a free webinar on exit, succession and contingency planning Monday, June 18 at 10 a.m. Eastern. Learn why roofing contractors need an exit or succession plan, as well as common mistakes made during the process and the best strategies for success.

Hear from business-planning experts Kevin Kennedy and Joe Bazzano about how to get all of the proper financial and legal arrangements in place to preserve your business legacy and secure your financial future.

Kennedy, CEO of Beacon Exit Planning, specializes in exit and success planning for private business owners. He uses the experience of selling his 63-year-old roofing business — including the mistakes he made — to help others navigate the process more smoothly.

Bazzano, COO of Beacon, is a certified public accountant, certified valuation analyst and certified business exit consultant with more than 25 years of experience. He shows business owners how to increase the value of their companies and save on taxes.

With their knowledge and expertise, these professionals can guide contractors around the potential pitfalls of leaving a roofing business — either by choice or circumstance.

Natural Expressions’ exhilarating hues are created through a proprietary manufacturing process in which drops of different colors are strategically added to the dragon’s tooth and shim — the parts of the shingle that give it depth and character.

Pinnacle Pristine shingles featuring the Natural Expressions palette pull from rich, color-reserve blends and are available in five bold, designer shades:

Coastal Granite – Imagine standing on the windswept coast of Maine and feeling a little thrill to see how the color of the rocks almost matches the pounding seas. This deep gray shingle is anything but neutral.

Copper Canyon – Drawn to wide-open spaces and big, dramatic vistas? Looking like they came directly from the rugged landscapes of the Old West, these shingles can’t help but inspire a sense of adventure.

Majestic Shake – Know how historic trees have a certain dignity about them? Some homes do too. Offering a formal, traditional aesthetic, these shingles deliver a look that’s serious without being severe.

Morning Harvest – Golden sunlight and a market basket overflowing with the bounty of the garden – if anything inspires warmth and contentment, this is it. These golden tones offer a simple message: welcome.

Summer Storm – The world just seems fresher after a good rain. The air smells clean and rain-washed cobblestone streets shimmer like jewels. These shingles capture that mood of renewed optimism, all with not a cloud on the horizon.

“These colors, which are ‘inspired by nature and designed for you,’ will help homeowners express their personal style on the exterior of their homes,” says Paul Casseri, product manager for Atlas Roofing.

In addition, Natural Expressions shingles include all of the great benefits and features of the Pinnacle Pristine line.

Backed by more than 25 years of proven performance, Scotchgard Protector from 3M offers a lifetime limited warranty against black streaks that make roofs look older, tired and ugly. These stains, caused by algae, are prevented thanks to 3M’s copper granules and the way Atlas distributes those granules throughout each shingle.

“Atlas shingles offer the only lifetime warranty against black streaks and stains backed by the power of Scotchgard Protector from 3M,” says Stan Bastek, director of marketing and sales development for Atlas Roofing.

Atlas Roofing Corporation announces the launch of its newest product, Legend Designer Fiberglass Shingles. With bold cuts and high-contrast color, these three-tab designer shingles provide the high style of an architectural look at an attractive price for homeowners, according to the manufacturer. In addition to its striking character, the new Legend shingle is loaded with features and benefits that offer homeowners the performance they expect from quality roof shingles.

“We’re thrilled to add Legend Designer Fiberglass Shingles to our family of products,” said Kirk Villar, vice president of Atlas Roofing. “Not only do these new shingles provide homeowners with a beautiful-looking roof, but they also include the algae-fighting power of Scotchgard Protector at an affordable price.”

According to the company, Legend is the industry’s first three-tab shingle that features the power of Scotchgard Protector, which helps prevent ugly black streaks caused by algae. Atlas shingles are built to withstand the harshest weather conditions. Legend shingles come with a 40-year Limited Warranty against manufacturing defects and have a 110 mph Wind Limited Warranty.

“Atlas is resetting the expectations for a three-tab shingle,” said Stan Bastek, director of marketing and sales development for Atlas Roofing. “The Legend shingle is a designer three-tab shingle that offers aesthetics, value, quality and performance that you can’t find from other manufacturers.”

The Legend shingle is suitable for single- and multi-family homes and available in five popular colors: Black Shadow, Desert Shake, Hearthstone Gray, Heatherblend and Weathered Wood.

Atlas shingles featuring Scotchgard Protector by 3M – installed on the home of an Atlas Roofing Corp. employee – were featured on an episode of the HGTV home renovation series “Home Town.” The show, based in Laurel, Mississippi, is hosted by Ben and Erin Napier and focuses on renovating historical houses in their small town.

Titled “A Little Rough, A Little Refined,” the show aired Feb. 26. It showcased the renovation of the home of Cory Burks and his family. Burks, who lives in Laurel, is the quality control manager for the web technologies division at the Atlas manufacturing plant in Meridian.

Part of “Home Town’s” second season, the Burks’ renovation included installing a new roof, for which Atlas Roofing supplied its Signature Select Roofing System. Products included 38 squares of its HP42″ format shingles in StormMaster Shake Majestic Shake, featuring Scotchgard Protector by 3M, and Summit 60 underlayment.

In a world where the bottom line is a critical concern in any construction project, conscientious design and roofing professionals look at the lifetime costs of a building instead of just the short-term construction outlay. Choices made during a building’s initial design and construction have long-term influence on the lifetime of its operation and maintenance. With so many building products and options available, building codes take on a vital role in guiding decisions about building quality, safety, and energy performance. These trusted benchmarks, compiled with input from a broad range of stakeholders, are designed to ensure that the best technologies, materials, and methods are used in construction.

Building Energy Codes 101

Model building energy codes are revised every three years to incorporate the latest research and ensure that new and existing buildings benefit from the methods and products that will produce the most value and safety over time. The International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and ASHRAE set standards tailored to specific climate zones and include options to provide flexibility in choosing the methods and materials best suited to each project’s needs while nevertheless meeting the requirements. Without regular, incremental improvements to these codes, new buildings would be dated even before their construction begins.

Indeed, while some building features are straightforward to replace and upgrade over time, some of the most vital elements of building performance need to be “designed in” at the outset. Codes are designed to lock in savings during initial construction or major renovations to promote cost-effective design and construction practices. For example, roof replacement projects provide an opportunity to cost-effectively improve the overall energy efficiency performance of buildings.

Energy-efficient design strategies are helpful to all building owners, including government and municipal projects built with taxpayer funding. Pictured here is Fire Station #108 in Brighton, Utah. Photos: Atlas Roofing Corp.

One of the major benefits of building code updates in recent years is the focus on energy efficiency and resiliency. The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety writes that, “Over the centuries, building codes have evolved from regulations stemming from tragic experiences to standards designed to prevent them.” With the ongoing effects of climate change, buildings are subjected to extremes of weather and temperature that challenge the performance of their systems. Most structures built over the previous century were not designed or constructed with energy efficiency in mind and suffer from poor insulation and dramatic thermal loss. Buildings account for over 40 percent of America’s total energy consumption, 74 percent of our electricity, and cause 40 percent of our greenhouse emissions. Implementing best practices for sustainable design and utilizing highly efficient building materials like insulation could save billions of dollars a year and improve the reliability of the electrical grid systems.

Energy-Efficient Roofing

A report prepared in 2009 by Bayer MaterialScience (now Covestro), “Energy and Environmental Impact Reduction Opportunities for Existing Buildings with Low-Slope Roofs,” determined that going from an R-12 insulation level (i.e., the average R-value of roofs on older buildings) to R-30 would pay for itself in energy savings in just 12 years with an average reduction in building energy use of 7 percent. Better roof insulation also saves money on equipment, since buildings with weaker envelopes require larger and costlier HVAC systems and future upgrades to HVAC equipment that is smaller and less expensive will always be limited by this constraint.

These savings are not only confined to new construction. In renovations, the removal and replacement of a roof membrane offers the best and most cost-effective opportunity to improve a building’s thermal envelope and better position that building for energy-efficiency upgrades down the road.

Energy Efficiency in Government Buildings

While these strategies are helpful to all building owners, they are especially important for government projects built with an increasingly tight supply of taxpayer dollars. Here is another place where the building codes provide a major assist. For federal commercial and multi-family high-rise residential buildings where the design process began after Nov. 6, 2016, agencies are required to design buildings to meet ASHRAE 90.1-2013 and, if life-cycle cost-effective, achieve energy consumption levels that are at least 30 percent below the levels of the ASHRAE 90.1-2013 baseline building. These savings are calculated by looking at the building envelope and energy consuming systems normally specified by ASHRAE 90.1 (such as space heating, space cooling, ventilation, service water heating, and lighting but not receptacle and process loads not covered by 90.1).

Photos: Atlas Roofing Corp.

Changes in the 2013 edition of ASHRAE 90.1 clarify the insulation requirements of various low-slope re-roofing activities. New definitions of “roof covering” (the topmost component of the roof assembly intended for weather resistance, fire classification, or appearance) and “roof recovering” (the process of installing an additional roof covering over an existing roof covering without removing the existing roof covering) were added and the exceptions to the R-value requirement for roof replacements were clarified to include only “roof recovering” and the “removal and replacement of a roof covering where there is existing insulation integral to or below the roof deck.” In all other instances, when a roof membrane is removed and replaced, the insulation must be brought up to current R-value requirements, which range from R-20 to R-35, depending on climate zone. In addition, the prescriptive R-value requirements for low-slope roofs under 90.1-2013, as compared to previous version (90.1-2010), are higher. For instance, in populous climate zones 4 and 5 the R-values for these roofs increased from R-20 to R-30.

The Department of Energy is preparing to start a rulemaking process to update the federal building energy standard baseline to the 90.1-2016 Standard, which will provide about an 8 percent improvement in energy cost savings compared to 90.1-2013. However, no changes were made to the R-values for low-slope roofs. Managers of federal buildings are working to comply with updated directives that impact new construction and building alterations, including:

“Guiding Principles for Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings”

GSA PBS-P100 “Facilities Standards for the Public Buildings Service”

DOD’s Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC).

The instructions in these publications coupled with Executive Order 13693, issued on March 15, 2015, and “Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings,” require new and existing federal buildings to adopt improved energy efficiency and “green building” attributes. New buildings are expected to “employ strategies that minimize energy usage” and existing ones must “seek to achieve optimal energy efficiency.” These directives require:

Regular benchmarking and reporting of building annual energy use intensity.

Annual 2.5 percent improvement in energy use intensity every year through the end of 2015.

All new buildings be designed to achieve net-zero energy use beginning in 2020.

Good Practice in Action

At the end of the day, the success of building codes in producing the cost-savings, weather-resiliency, and energy efficiency is determined by how they are adopted and enforced locally. If the most current codes were universally adopted and enforced,

Photos: Atlas Roofing Corp.

there would be no competitive advantage to inferior building construction practices. Incremental upgrades would provide a steady stream of work that would increase competitiveness for building professionals and suppliers. Updated job skills would increase market value for construction professionals and enable innovation in the construction sector and increased market share for innovative products and processes that would improve economies of scale and lower their cost differential.

Building codes provide a comprehensive and reliable standard that contribute to local economies and improve building performance. Knowledge of code requirements help designers and contractors deliver more value to their clients. Finally, a bit more of an investment during design and construction can yield significant savings in building operation and tangible benefits to the environment and economy of areas that adopt higher building standards.

Atlas Roofing Corporation has promoted Shaun Kerschen to Director of Private Label and Tapered Services, within the Roof and Wall Insulation division. According to the company, Kerschen has worked for Atlas since 2002, where he started as a Design Engineer for the Atlas EPS division. Shortly after, he transitioned over to the polyiso roof insulation side of the business to become a Tapered Specialist and eventually relocated to Atlanta in 2006. Since beginning his career with Atlas Corporation, Kerschen has acquired more than 15 years of experience in the roofing and insulation industry.

“As a company, we’re proud to have leading industry talent like Shaun, who choose to build their careers with Atlas Corporation,” said Steve Heaton, Vice President Sales and Marketing of Atlas Roof and Wall Insulation Division. “Shaun first made his mark as a tapered specialist for our best-in-class tapered roof insulation systems, which set him on the path to ultimately lead our Tapered Department. We look forward to continued departmental and private label growth under Shaun’s leadership as the Director.”

In his new role, Kerschen will work closely with Tim Milroy, who was also recently promoted to take over as Director of Sales – Roof Insulation within the Roof and Wall Insulation Division.

Dan Worstell (right) is pictured with his dad Jerry (center) and his brother Dave (left).

Dan Worstell, president of Pyramid Roofing, which has offices in Newport News, Suffolk, Virginia Beach and Williamsburg, Va., believes the biggest changes can be made with small efforts. Worstell lives his belief every day.

For example, after signing up as a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Williamsburg, he was quickly paired with 7-year-old Jordan. The plan as to spend a few hours a month with the boy over the course of a year, sharing activities and generally being a positive male role model for Jordan. Recently, the pair celebrated 10 years as “Big” and “Little,” and both their lives have changed for the better as a result of their relationship. Jordan is a smart, popular teen in his senior year of high school. He works after school and on weekends, has his own bank account and buys presents for the Worstell family at Christmas.

Meanwhile Worstell and his family—wife Tammy and sons Derek and Drew—include Jordan in family activities, from holiday celebrations to just hanging out around the house. Worstell also attends Jordan’s sporting events and hangs photos of Jordan along with his own sons on the walls of his office.

Through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Williamsburg, Wortsell has mentored Jordan for the past 10 years.

Worstell is not only one of the most prominent roofing contractors in the Hampton Roads area, he’s also a stand-up guy who cares about his employees and community.

For example, Worstell roofed the home of a disabled veteran for free and also supplied the labor to install roofing shingles (donated by Atlanta-based Atlas Roofing Corp.) at the Jamestown 4-H Center. On rain and snow days, Worstell keeps his crews working by posting on Facebook that the roofers are available to do odd jobs around the house. All Worstell asks in return is a $15 minimum donation to the Grove Christian Outreach Center.

On rainy mornings, Worstell often can be found in his company truck in the Chick-fil-A drive-thru in Hampton Roads. He hands his credit card to the cashier and moves to the end of the line, paying for breakfast for everyone originally behind him. Along with the free breakfast, the cashier passes out a chip clip with the Pyramid Roofing name and logo on it. This small investment has led to new business and positive feedback about Pyramid Roofing.

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July/August 2019

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About Roofing

Roofing is a national publication that unravels, investigates and analyzes how to properly design, install and maintain a roof system. Through the voices of professionals in the field, Roofing’s editorial provides a unique perspective.